


My Roommate is a Ghost

by Kendal_KSW



Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: #modern au, F/F, F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-15
Updated: 2017-03-15
Packaged: 2018-10-05 19:02:58
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,782
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10314926
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kendal_KSW/pseuds/Kendal_KSW
Summary: Dayal Lavellan moved into a studio only to find he wasn't the only occupant in the small space.Dorian Pavus is the ghost that was the original tenant to the studio before finding himself haunting the space.





	

The smart phone turns on to life with a picture of a young woman with pale blonde hair, slight tan skin with barely noticeable freckles on her face, and piercing green eyes as she looked bashful in the picture with the name 'Evelyn' above her. The piano note ringtone continued to play before a dark olive hand picked up the cell and answered.

"Hey Evie, everything alright?" Answered an elvhen man as he wiped off the sweat off his brow, moving the long bangs of his short black hair, while his icy light blue and lavender eyes looked around the studio apartment that has some furniture, covered in white sheets, and cardboard boxes scattered in random areas on the false wood floor. "Yeah, I just got the last box up." He informed as he moved over to the covered couch in the room and sat down. "How are you and the others doing?" He reached over a box in front of him, that was put on a coffee table. "You guys are in Val Royeaux now?" He opened the box to take out some items wrapped up in news paper and revealed a framed photo of him and the young woman, at what looks to be a park that a renaissance fair was taking place with him looking happy and confident while she looked shy and held onto him and has a gentle smile on her face. He wore a calmer version of a knight's armor while she looked like a noble; a princess and her knight. "I heard the flowers in spring are really something to see there." He said as he placed the picture down and lifted another that looked like a bar setting with a much larger group with both of them in it. "Bull did what?" He said, chuckling as he looked at the qunari in the picture, with his masculine arm protective around the young woman while he was at the qunari's other side, having his hair messed up by a young man and a few others.

He chuckled as he placed the photo down. "Of course he and Krem would do that in a lingerie shop in Orlais." He shook his head. "But I'm glad to hear you're having fun. Skinner is behaving herself though, right? Good. You guys would've been kicked out indefinitely if she didn't." He smiled as he leaned back onto the couch. "No, getting here wasn't bad at all. And it looks a lot nicer than what it was advertised. Even some of the furniture from the last tenant are still here, so I don't have to worry about that." He chuckled. "Evie, I'm alright. You and Bull are together now, and I'm so happy for the both of you. I planned on moving out anyway. The place was way too big after you moved out." He shook his head. "Evie... Evie... I am perfectly okay. The place is in a safe area, Bull even checked it out for me. The city just hasn't bothered doing a much needed renovation. Such is the way of it. Well, I have to let you go now. Still got a lot of unpacking to do before night falls. Tell Bull and the Chargers I said 'Hi' and try not to get into too much trouble." He chuckled. "I love you too, Evie. Take care." He pressed the red phone button and tapped a few things before music came out from it and left his phone on the coffee table as he worked on unpacking the rest of the pictures in the box.

Hours later, he has some things set up in the kitchen and moved some furniture around to make moving some larger boxes easier, before deciding to head out to grab some things to make dinner with.

When he returned, he hadn't noticed at first, but some of the photographs were arranged differently than when he last put them, some boxes that he knows he didn't open were opened, and the kitchen seemed to be prepped to be used. He looked over the items and confirmed that nothing was stolen, and he knows he locked up before he left. He continued his task of making dinner, but he sensed that he wasn't really alone. 'Maybe it's because I'm so used to having Evie around...' He thought, but it didn't explain the physical evidence that someone, or thing, was here. 

Once he was done with dinner and washing dishes, he went back to work on some things, before going to the low platform bed, which doubles as a dresser by the drawers that made up the platform, at the farthest corner of the studio apartment, now donned with his unpacked sheets and blankets. 

Over the course of a week, he would get up, notice that the boxes were moved, opened, and some of the items were out. He would go to work in the morning; once he confirmed that nothing is stolen, then come back in the evening with some groceries to see more of the items moved. 'Is this place haunted?' He thought, knowing he locked both the door and any of the windows that lead out to the fire escape. In one morning, he brought out a mug to put some tea in and turned around for one second before hearing a loud crash, and turned to see the broken mug on the floor. "You serious?" He called out, before he cleaned up the broken mug and tossed it, bringing out another mug, which also broke when he turned around for a second. The next mug he didn't let his eyes leave and finally enjoyed his tea, which he was sure he heard chuckling. 

Another day, he had some stuff arranged the way he wants it, and left for work, only to come back to find everything rearranged. "Great. I'm haunted by an interior decorator. Where the fuck did that wooden bowl go?" He said as he hunted for the bowl, found it in one of the cabinets, hidden among the cleaning items. "Just so you know, this was a gift! I don't mind you moving my stuff, but don't touch things that are important to me!" He said as he placed the wooden bowl back at its spot before getting dinner ready. The next day, after getting back, the bowl remained where it was, but it was accompanied by a sapphire-blue colored glass bottle with some of the fake flowers that was part of a wreath that was damaged sometime during the moving process. "This is really nice." He commented. 

One day, he bought and put up a dry-erase calendar and note board and placed it on the fridge, putting down the days and wrote down anything important, as well as made a small shopping list before he walked away to get his laundry. Once he got back, to grab a snack, he noticed a new note written on the board.

_**Boo. And please get rid of that awful shirt you're wearing.** _

He looked at the grey shirt that, admittedly, seen better days, but was still annoyed by the note of it. "An interior decorator and a fashion critic. Wonderful." He said as he erased the note and proceeded to go about his day, making a habit of looking towards the kitchen to see if he could catch the ghost in the act of writing something there.

What almost got on his nerves was when the invisible resident started messing with his phone and computer.

He got a text from Evelyn, while he was busying himself with laundry, and apparently replied to her several times in an otherwise civil conversation.

_"You're place is haunted?"_ Evelyn said through the speaker as he looked at the color pallets for possible colors for the room to paint in.

"Yup." He said, sounding unconcerned as he held up one pallet slip and eyed it at the wall from the kitchen he was in. 

_"Are you alright?"_

"Only a little annoyed from time to time. But the ghost is harmless."

_"Should still look into getting rid of it!"_ Iron Bull called out.

_"Are you sure you're okay?"_ Evelyn asked, concerned clear in her voice.

"I am, Evie. Right now I'm trying to find a color swatch that would do well in this room. I'm not getting any luck."

_"You have a strange sense of where your priorities lie!"_ Called out a young man.

"Hi Krem!" He said. "Making sure Bull stays out of trouble?"

_"You know it!"_

_"Hey!"_

_"Well, okay. If you're sure this ghost isn't hurting you..."_ She said, not entirely convinced.

"You've held a conversation with them through text."

_"Because I thought it was you!"_

"I know. I know. And I'll let you know if I'm ever in danger."

_"Promise?"_

"Promise. Now, quit worrying about me and let me know what you think of the place you guys are looking into."

_"Okay..."_ She said, still sounding concerned. _"I love you."_

"I love you too. Later." He said as he hung up and went back to looking at the strips of paper that held various shades of light, yet neutral colors that were either green, blue, and tan that he picked up at the nearby hardware store.

He sighed as he knew that, under normal circumstances, he would just go with a color that looks nice; but this was not a usual scenario one is usually in. "Show yourself, if you can. I could really use your insight, since we're both living here." He said, noticing that there hasn't been a lot of activity as of late, then he almost jumped when the man appeared just in front of him, leaning against the counter-top and bar space that slightly divided the living space and the small kitchen.  
The man that appeared had a lighter shade of tanned skin than the elf's dark olive. Short, black hair styled that reminded him of movie celebrities and rock musicians, the carefully tailored mustache and the small patch of hair under his bottom lip seemed to increase the charm of the already handsome face that statue artists would literally kill to recreate in the most beautiful and rarest marble. The quartz grey eyes seemed amused as he took in the elvhen man.

They just stared at each other: one amused, and the other a bit dumbfounded.

"Hello." He said, not knowing how else to respond. 

The man grinned as he chuckled. "Well, that is one way to react to seeing a ghost. But hello to you as well."

"Well, I already figured there was someone around, but I didn't exactly expect you to just... pop out like... like you did."

The ghost man laughed, which sounded clear. "Well, I haven't been using too much energy, so consider yourself fortunate."

"Is... that a thing?"

"For a ghost?" The man said with a lift of his shoulder. "For me, yes. Not sure about other ghosts. In any rate. Dorian Pavus." He said as he held out his hand.

"Dayal Lavellan." He said as he reached out to grab the man's hand, only for it to go right through, making the ghost chuckle.

"That was amusing."

"Har har..." He said, not as amused, but now was curious about the man. "So, you've scared off a few tenants."

"A young couple and an older woman who doesn't own a hairbrush and has cat hair all over her shawl. I don't mind animals, but I'm sure I could make out five kinds of hairs!" Dorian explained. "And since I'm unable to leave this room, if I'm going to share 'my' space with someone, it would be someone I can at least tolerate."

"I can see your point in being choosy with who you want in." He said, seeing the ghost's point.

"By the way, I have to applaud you on making this sorry place at least adequate." He said as he mentioned to the room. "Took me months to look like as you first saw it."

"You did a good job then. Was the bed your idea then?"

"That it is. And I've noticed you put some use to those drawers."

"I don't have much stuff, and a dresser is just going to fill space."

"Right?" He said, happy to have a like-minded individual.

"So... how long have you...?"

"Been a ghost?" He said, knowing what the other wanted to ask. "Five months and I would prefer to not answer how I came to be."

"Fair enough. We have, after all, just met."

"Excellent. Mutual understanding and agreement are good basis for any kind of relationship." He said as he turned around to look at the room. "But like I was saying. You can thank me for the floors, bed and walls. When I moved in, the floors were this horrid laminated tile that needed to be replaced, the walls were stained from Maker knows what, and of course the bed. It was a slow process, of course. Took me six months to get to what it looks like before you moved in. Though to be honest, I planned on getting some color to the walls. White was simply to get rid of the mess that it was before." He then looked to the counter-top and bar. "And I was going to do something to the kitchen next, but... well..." He shrugged. "You're the tenant now."

"I did notice that the kitchen did seem out of sorts with everything else about the room." He said as he leaned more onto the counter. "So, are you stuck here or do you not want to leave?"

"Stuck, apparently. I don't really have anything tying me down, but here I am. I have stared at these walls and wandered around in circles and, of course, screaming in hopes someone complains enough to hire someone to bless this place so I can get out. It's a maddening sort of cabin fever. But apparently no one can hear me. Until you."

"Truly?"

"Truly! Oh sure, I could just move things around and slam a few doors, that's how I got rid of the young couple, the young lady was tearful and ran out then and there. I did feel terrible about that, but I didn't want them there. And Harding, the poor dear, wasn't sure how to explain it. Ever since Bartrand up and croaked, she has taken over a lot more than a run-down building and dealing with his over-looked paperwork. I wouldn't be surprised if he has misplaced my papers to be used as a note pad."

"She did seem really troubled when I asked for a space available. She had to lower the price to this place in hopes someone wouldn't be easily put off." He said as he looked confused. "So why did you let me move in?"

Dorian seemed to think about this as he studied the elvhen man. "Well, you're young enough that you won't keel over and reek the place. You're single, so I won't be suddenly exposed to any some primal tango when I can't up and leave."

"And this space doesn't have a lot of places to tuck away comfortably."

"Exactly." He said. "And, admittedly, I did enjoy moving things around while you're not around. Tires me out greatly, but worth it." He sighed. "Granted, I never imagined that I couldn't do more like I could when I'm alive."

"What do you mean?"

"Ah, I suppose I didn't properly explain myself outside of my name. While alive, I was a mage."

"You are?"

"Of course. A brilliant one at that, and that's only partly bragging. But of course, being a ghost and not some wandering spirit in the Fade, makes me just as normal as you." His face fell to almost a pout. "Less actually. It takes so much energy just to lift a fucking cup."

"Speaking of which." He said with a deadpan look. "About the mugs you keep breaking."

"They were ugly as sin itself. When you get mugs that aren't a complete eyesore, then I will leave them alone." He responded. "Granted, I do feel bad that one day when you stepped on that one shard and your foot bled a bit."

"You're forgiven." He said, with a sigh. "So, is that why you weren't able to appear as you are now, because you used a lot of energy?"

"Correct. Granted, it was rewarding for me, but I do respect some things you're just fucking adamant about keeping. We are, after all, living together. Even though one of us is using the term loosely."

"Interior decorator critic, fashion critic, and a sass master." Dayal shook his head."How in Thedas did I get that for a roommate?" This caused the ghost man to laugh. "But I hope we can get along in peace."

"I think we already are." He said with a grin as he looked at the slips of papers with colors. "This would have to go." He pointed to one.

"Really? I kinda like the color here."

"It looks nice at this time of day, but it will make this place as dark as cave at night. I don't know about you, but just because I'm dead, doesn't mean I want to devolve into a Neanderthal."

"Alright, alright. This is out." He said as he moved the slip away. "What about the other colors?"

And thus, they spent the next few hours and days in cooperative harmony, with some domestic arguments about how some things are arranged.

A week passed, and the apartment was complete with everything in the boxes out and gave life to the room.

"You really should consider a new desk." Dorian suggested as Dayal was working on something on the computer, setting up the web camera on it and making sure it worked on the screen.

"What's wrong with this one?"

"It barely holds anything that you have, and you hardly have any space to put your arms on. And you need to find a chair so you're not slumped over."

"I do have those hanging shelves that can hold these items, but you insisted that those shelves are better served by the bed."

"Those shelves are meant for books, and you have a lovely collection of them, even if a couple are of questionable tastes."

"If you're referring to 'Blades and Lyrium Marks', then I'm afraid we're going to have an argument."

"A couple's quarrel over a book? Oh how exciting." Dorian said as he shook his head. "But you really should look into a desk with an actual shelf unit. And a small safe for files. You're very lucky for having all your important files in a box, but this place isn't the safest place to have valuable items. And you do have quite a few."

Dayal looked back to his ghostly roommate and saw the man's reason. "Alright. With my next paycheck, I'll look into a safe first and keep my eye out on a desk of your description."

"Is that a 'yes dear'?" Dorian said with a chuckle. 

"In a sense. You are, of course, right." He said as he finished hooking up the web camera and the picture of himself was displaying clearly on his computer. "There. Now I can converse with Miss Montilyet whenever she goes on business trips and needs to discuss things."

"A requirement for your job?"

"In a way. I handle most of the trades with local elvhen based business origins." He explained. "Though, it didn't start out that way at first."

"Oh?"

"I was a mail clerk to the company to begin with. Miss Nightingale saw more to me and convinced me to take the promotion to copy editor."

"That's quite a leap."

"And I wasn't there for long until Miss Montilyet saw me discussing, and effectively diffusing, a tense situation with a new elvhen client who wanted to branch their business, but was having difficulty getting anyone to listen to them. So, she suggested some class courses in business for me to take, and six months later, I have a small branch of my own next to her main office."

"That's quite a leap."

"I really don't like company politics, but somehow I'm really good at it." He shook his head.

"You simply have a way of carrying yourself. And politics is simply a survival tactics chess dressed up for the Orlesian opera."

"Now that's an image." Dayal said chuckling. "Well, I'm done with this. Speaking of chess, would you like to play a round?"

"Of course." He said happily as the elvhen man set up the board. "Dayal, I just thought up a way to make the game interesting."

"Oh?" He said as he set the pieces as Dorian sat down on the chair across from him on the table.

"For every piece we take, we tell each other a fact, and we have to guess if it's a truth or a lie."

"A game within a game. I'll accept." He said. "Though I'm admittedly surprised by it."

"Oh?"

"When we first met, you mentioned that you didn't want to talk about yourself, and I have avoided that until you felt comfortable." He said as he settled down on the chair. "You may go first."

"True, but I'm feeling bold today. Get ready to spill every fact you have, and I hope you're creative enough to come up with a convincing false truth." He said as he moved his piece.

"Don't get your hopes up. I've been told I don't have a good poker face."

An hour later, Dayal managed to take three of Dorian's pieces after the man took five of his. "Alright Dorian. You know five things about me now."

"Very well, since you have been nothing but honest... let see... What fact should I tell you? Ah, I'm from Tevinter."

"Easy enough. That one is obviously true. Mostly by your accent and how you carry yourself." He said as he watched the other move his piece. He moved his piece to take one of Dorian's pieces. "Another."

"You're right on the first, but then again, it was a given. Let's see... I moved here for a job."

"Now that's tricky..." He said as he studied the man as he moved his piece. "False."

"Reason?"

"You aren't exactly humble in your bragging of being a genius in the College of Magi, which I'm going to suspect is in Tevinter because it's still, to this day, the only place where magic is used freely without too much reprimanding. To accept a job here would mean for you to restrict practically everything you've known to do and have taken granted of." He reasoned as he watched the man's down-turned face. "There was another reason why you came here, especially in this area when you 'appear' to be able to afford something a bit more in the gated community apartments."

"You're right. And it's your move." He said, a hint of sadness in his voice as his body took a different tone as well; when they started, his back was straight, almost confident in a fun game, but now seemed slumped and looked as though he regret this little 'fun addition' to the game.

He moved his piece, taking another of Dorian's.

"You let yourself get taken those five times." Dorian said, sounding slightly amused. "Clever. But a bit concerning."

"How so?"

"I have heard once, that you can tell a person by how they play a game. You can distinguish an amateur from a pro, and how they manipulate the pieces. You allowed yourself to be taken five times before getting to mine. This tells me you're willing to sacrifice bits of yourself, in order to get to what you're aiming for."

"That makes me sound like an awful person."

"On the contrary, it makes you a person someone can depend on, to the point of almost breaking you, until you know them enough to turn the tables on them, but do so in a way that's gentle, yet firm."

"How do I manage that?"

"My little addition to our game. I have not mentioned that questions need to be asked, only to tell a fact and decide whether it is true of false."

"You could've told me all the true facts about yourself, like I have."

"Unfortunately, all my true facts have been used within the week before this game."

"I doubt that."

"You're right." He said as he moved his piece, letting the other move, but no pieces were taken. He moved his piece again and waited.

Dayal can see the man is now moving his pieces to be taken, making him wonder if the man was trying to convey something. "Do you want to play chess as is or are you comfortable talking?"

"It is your move." Dorian responded, looking contemplative at the board.

Dayal moved his piece and took one of Dorian's piece.

"I have plenty of friends in Tevinter."

"If you define 'plenty' as one or two good ones you can trust, then yes, I believe that fact is true." He said, making the man grin slightly. "You never explained what would happen if I get a fact wrong."

"I was wondering about that myself. But so far, you haven't guessed wrong." Dorian said as he moved his piece, taking Dayal's piece. "You're turn to tell me a fact."

"That I'm concerned for you."

"That's too obvious, you would have to come up with another fact."

"I am considering looking into who you are." He said seriously, their eyes locked into a stare.

"Your move."

"Is my fact true or false?"

"True. Though I suppose I must applaud you for not looking into me from the very beginning."

"I was being considerate to your privacy." He said as he moved his piece. "Just because you're a ghost, seemingly trapped in this one apartment room with no idea of how to get out, I'm treating you like you are a living person whose privacy I respect, much like you respect my privacy."

Dorian chuckled. "You truly are like a unicorn; a beautiful and rare breed."

"That's a first. I've always been compared to a rabbit or called a knife ear."

"You don't like the thought of being a unicorn?"

"No, no, it's just a new concept." He looked down at the board. "It's my turn, right?"

"That it is." He said as he watched him move his piece, giving him pause to think.

Another hour passed in silence as Dayal finally took Dorian's piece.

"You're trying to avoid taking my pieces."

"I figured you need some time to recover from our talk earlier." He explained. "I don't want to step over any lines if I can help it."

"I suppose I should apologize for making it appear you have to be careful around me." He moved his piece to take Dayal's. "Your fact?"

"I like your company."

"Well, of course you do! I'm far too charming not to be enjoyed." He said with a laugh as his piece was taken. "I enjoy yours to."

"Thank you." He said as he ended the game. "Check mate."

"Good game." He said as he looked to the elvhen man across from him. "I will tell you about myself... while I was alive. But not now."

"Take your time. I won't say I'm not tempted to know, but I rather hear it from you."

"Thank you." He said as they spent the rest of the day reading, discussing something that Dorian wanted to discuss, making the elvhen man slightly annoyed but enjoyed it at the same time.

Two months passed as Dayal took one of his days off to devote to painting the walls.

"Hmm..."

"What's wrong?"

"I thought it was lighter than this." Dorian said from the couch he was sitting on. 

"It's just wet now. It will get lighter as it dries." He said as he continued painting. "Though, it's going to be a while before I get around to painting that design we've been working on."

"I'm just impressed it was an option at all." He said as he looked at the sketch next to him of what the walls would look like after they've painted. "And that we're finally getting around to it. Well... I say 'we' but you're doing all the work."

"It's not your fault. You couldn't leave the room, and we proved that holding a brush causes you too much strain as far as energy goes to keep it in your grip."

"That it does." He said as he watched the other man's form from behind, grinning. "Though, I can't really complain on the view." This made the man chuckle.

"This is coming from a man who judged my work clothes of coming from a thrift shop of some back alley dump?"

"I apologized for my snobbish remark on your taste of attire, but I do wish I could get out of this room and attend to this shop to see if your claims of 'nicer' really does exist." He said as he watched the man's back, the loose fitting shirt that was lifted up from the corner to show the small amount of skin. "But for this, you do really look nice." His gaze then fell lower to the rear, knowing that the sweat pants covered very strong legs.

"I think that will do it for today." Dayal said as he took a couple steps back to view his handiwork.

"Now all we have to do is wait and suffer the wet paint smell."

"At least you have the ability to not smell it." He said as he turned to the man. "Things seem to finally come together."

"That they are." He said as he looked around the studio apartment, seeing the new soft curtains that were gently blowing in the warm summer air.

The apartment didn't change too much, but there were items around, making it warm and welcoming.

"Well, I better get cleaned up."

"Going to your date?" Dorian asked, smiling, but there was a hint of something in his voice.

"It's not a date. I'm just going with a friend who wants to try this place out, and she doesn't want to go to it alone." He explained as he took his shirt off, making the ghost man look for a moment before refocusing on the man's face. "Besides, I get the feeling she isn't interested in men at all." He said with a smile. 

"You know for a fact?"

"No, it's just a feeling I have." He said with a chuckle as he took off his sweat pants, now in only his light grey boxers that hugged his hips and the top part of his thighs. "And she has turned down all the other men that have asked her out for tea. A couple of those times I have to tell Leliana my concern that one of them was crossing the line of harassment." He got a contemplative look. "Maybe that's why she asked me to come."

"You're many things, but creepy is definitely not one of them." He said, but he wasn't fully convinced that this wasn't some date set up. "But do be careful and have fun."

"I wish you can come too. I always feel bad that I'm leaving you here by yourself."

"It's not that I choose to stay."

"I know, I know. But I still feel bad."

"Don't worry yourself over my non-existent well-being. But do come home safe and tell me all about it."

"I will." He said as he walked in front of Dorian, making the ghost man watch him as he walked to the laundry room to dispose of the clothes, including his underwear as he took it off there.

Half an hour later, and some fussing from Dorian over clothes, Dayal was heading out, leaving the ghost man to watch over the apartment.

The ghost man sighed sadly as he walked around, looking at the pictures that were set on the dining table and busied himself remembering who was who in the pictures, rearranging them, then putting them back, which lasted only ten minutes before sighing sadly. He looked to the door that leads out of the apartment and headed up to it. He reached out to the door knob, but then a memory came to him and he quickly brought his ethereal hand back, cursing to himself. 

"You're being ridiculous. You're dead." He told himself as he reached out once more and used some of his energy to unlock and turn the knob. He managed to open the door, something he hasn't done the few months of being a ghost. He opened it a bit more, only to see a barrier of some kind of black mist that appears to be darker than black, and he quickly slammed the door and locked it. He backed away from the door, fear gripping him as he went to the bed and went as far back as the corner of the wall that the bed was flushed against.

Dayal came back a couple hours later, and immediately became concerned when Dorian didn't answer when he announced that he came home. He looked to the bed and noticed the faint indentation of someone being there; and still there.

"Dorian?" He said as he looked up at the wall, which Dorian reappeared, but he held an aura of a spooked individual. "Everything alright?" He asked, worried now as he sat at the edge of the bed and waited.

"How long have we known each other?"

He wasn't sure what the ghost man meant, but he answered. "About two and a half, almost three months."

Dorian was silent for sometime before he spoke. "I left home because my father tried to change me. I left when I found out, but I was short on money, so... I had to take on a job that paid well, even though it's underhanded... Some appointments weren't bad, a lot of it was simply company. But it was the sex that really help pay for this." He mentioned the studio with one wave of his see-through hand. "One night... I was going to stop what I was doing to pursue an honest job that I had been looking into and was finally considered for hire." He chuckled. "I was on my way home when I got stabbed and left in some alley. Next thing I knew, I woke up here. A ghost ignored by everyone, but still caused enough of a racket to make any potential tenants not move in."

"You told me about that."

Dorian turned his head slightly to look at him. "Not everything... I suppose I got tired of the silence of the place, and you were nice to look at, as well as pleasant to listen. I was okay with that, but I'm happy that you didn't scare off like the others. I felt less alone." He sighed as he looked at the door. "I tried going out earlier. It was the one thing I wasn't able to do the months I was here. There was always some kind of gripping fear of whatever is behind that door, but I tried after you left and... I don't know... I became terrified and stayed here this whole time."

Dayal had some questions after what Dorian shared with him, but he left them at the back of his mind as he laid down on the bed, and mentioned the other to do the same, who did after a few pausing moments. "How do you feel now?"

"Better... A bit frustrated with myself, but better." He pouted. "Maybe I'm not meant to come out of this studio, as nice as it is with you doing the touches I wasn't able to."

"You don't really mean that."

"Well what else is a ghost supposed to be?" Dorian snapped. "Of all the ghost stories that have been passed down from age to age, there is one thing all of them have in common: the ghosts never leave the place they're haunting! That was simply a reminder of my place!"

Dayal wanted to comfort him, but didn't know how. "I don't want to believe that. But I'm not a ghost, so... I can't really help."

Dorian felt bad about snapping at the man, but it wasn't the first time he was frustrated with himself for his short comings since becoming a ghost. "I don't expect you to know the answers. And I didn't mean to snap. Sorry about that."

Dayal shook his head, and had a apologetic smile on his face. "Don't worry about it, Dorian. We are roommates and friends after all. 

Dorian managed a small smile as he shifted. "Well, enough gloom from me. How was your 'not-date'?"

Dayal shifted so he was lying on his back. "Eventful. The place was really nice for being tucked into such a location. Food's good too. And we had this one waitress, elvhen young woman, and clearly didn't like me."

"Why wouldn't she like you?"

"At a guess, she had a bad experience with other elves. Mainly Dalish."

"But you hardly look Dalish. Unless you have those markings and have hidden from me all this time."

Dayal chuckled as he shook his head. "It's an option these days, but you know I planned on leaving the clan, so having the vallaslin wasn't going to happen. Hard to get jobs with markings after all."

"True enough."

"Anyway, the waitress, Sera, took our orders and, after she left, Dagna asked me if she has a chance to ask the other girl out."

"Don't tell me you played as her wing man."

"As best as I could." He chuckled nervously. "But of course, we have to figure out if Sera was into women first. So, we came up with a plan... of sorts."

"I have all night."

Dayal chuckled as he explained his night with the dwarven coworker, and their combined efforts to getting Sera's contact for her.

"And so, Dagna will have a hard time sleeping tonight; she's been debating what to do for their first date." He said with a chuckle. "Those two will make one cute couple. I can already tell."

"I'm glad for them." Dorian said. "Sounds like you enjoyed yourself."

"I did! Seeing people happy makes me happy. Seeing a friend be happy with someone they like who likes them back? It's the best feeling in the world for me."

Dorian blinked as he took in the completely content elvhen man and for a moment, thought he glowed by how happy the very thought of someone's happiness makes him. "Don't you wish for something like that for yourself?"

"Everyone does, myself included." He said with a grin. "But it's different for everyone. Some can look at a person and think 'that's the one', others have to test the waters before making the jump."

"And yourself?"

Dayal looked at the ceiling. "Myself... I guess it's not 'who should I like' as much as 'who likes me'?"

"I'm afraid you need to explain that one."

"Well... It's like..." He started as he shook his head. "I identify myself as a demisexual. As well as a pansexual." He admitted. "But since I lean more into the 'demi', meaning I value emotional connection than physical. For me, I can't simply jump in and say I like that person without having that connection. Anyone can have physical attraction to another, but if you only base it on that, it's going to get ugly."

"How ironic."

"Right. But when I meant 'who I like' and 'who likes me', I meant that I will not be out searching for someone who may 'like' me. I have more things to worry about than finding a partner. However, if someone took the initiative to ask me out or tell me their feeling towards me, then I would consider them, in the least."

"Interesting." Dorian said as he was intrigued; his earlier pity party forgotten in favor for this new insight of his not-ghostly roommate. "But, wouldn't the other person also have that same mindset?"

"That's why we have communication. A lot of times, that initial attraction doesn't appear immediately upon seeing them, it takes time before you know if you're sure you want some kind of relationship with the other person."

"Like you and Evelyn?" He asked.

"Yes. I don't keep it secret that I did have an attraction to her, and her to me. But we both knew that we were much happier as friends than as lovers."

"And then Iron Bull came into the picture."

Dayal chuckled. "That was, admittedly, unexpected. But they make each other happy, and he's a wonderful guy who I know loves her far more than he admits." 

Dorian smiled as he looked up at the ceiling himself. "They're lucky then." He said sadly.

Dayal caught that and wasn't sure to ask or not. "Want to talk about it?"

"Not really."

"Alright then." He said with a yawn. 

"You better rest up." Dorian said as he was getting up from the bed.

"Stay where you are." Dayal said, making the ghost man give pause and look at him oddly.

"Pardon?" He asked, a bit baffled as the other man held up his hand to his chest, which went partly through, but he could feel the warmth from it and went back onto the bed.

"Just stay." He said as he shed his jacket off, and took his shoes off, followed by his pants, and got off the bed a moment to get under the covers. "Good night."

"... Good night..." He said, knowing the other knows he doesn't sleep, but he stayed on that bed, watching him sleep all night.

It wasn't the first time he did that: watching the elvhen man sleep. He finds it comforting many a night, but this was the first time he was on the bed and doing so; especially since all he could see was the black mist behind the windows, except for the sliding door leading out into the small balcony. He reached out, mustering up some energy for him to brush some hair away from the man's forehead. 'I wished I'd known you before...' He thought, and not for the first time, as he continued to watch the other sleep.

The next morning, Dayal was dressed for work and was about to head out when an idea hit him and looked to see the transparent man standing in the middle of their apartment, a daily routine by this point. "Hey, I just got an idea."

"Oh?" Dorian said, raising a brow as the other held out his hand. 

"I want to see if this works."

"What would work?"

"You hold my hand and we walk out of this room together." He explained, making the ghost man look at him as if he told him a very bad joke.

"You can't be serious."

"I wouldn't be standing here with my arm out if I wasn't serious."

"You do remember what I said yesterday, yes?"

"Yes. That you tried to leave 'after' I left. Meaning you had to do it alone." He wiggled his fingers of his offered hand. "But what if I'm with you?"

Dorian had to admit the other made a point, but he was still wary of what's behind the door. He sighed in defeat as he went up to the other. "Fine, but this is on you if this turns out to me crying in a corner."

"I'll take full responsibility." He said as he waved his arm a little. "Now, can you hold my hand so I can stop looking like a damn fool?"

"Oh, but you look adorable when you're being foolish." He said as he placed his transparent hand on the awaiting one, feeling the warmth as he followed the other, slowly, to the door as he opened it. He watched as the door opened, feeling the sense of panic rise in his being, but he focused on the warmth of the other's hand as they were slowly making their way out of the doorway. Too him, he watched the other go through the black mist, and when their combined hands went through the mist, he suddenly felt cold, as if he dunked his hand in ice water. Then a sharpness that brought a memory of the rainy night he was stabbed and left for dead. He whimpered as he found the will to steel his resolve as he jumped through.

_The look of disappointment of hazel grey eyes on an much older face. The coaching voice that nearly meditated him to that building. The rush of adrenaline that gave him the needed push to escape, the sour tang of the disrupted magic used and the bitter feeling of betrayal as he ran._

_The sense of hopelessness and resolve of leaving brought along the feeling of utter loneliness. Harsh cold stares as they hear his nationality, the false smiles telling him false assurances of hire, then lustful heat of those willing to pay him for his time._

_Heat._

_Rough._

_Empty._

_Dizzy, shot after shot, nights blurring together, always in someone else's bed. Stale smell of smoke and bad cologne. Lips bruised. Throat raw from the night before and purging the morning after._

_Grumpy face of a dwarven man that handed him the keys to his own place. A shit hole, but it was his._

_Finality, reforming, his own bed. A promise to himself to never bring anyone to this place unless he's sure it will last. This place will be his haven._

_Bitter cold, damn rain. Finally a place that accepted him for work, honest; a clean slate._

_Sharp, sudden, cold and warmth mixed together._

_Red._

_So much red..._

_Darkness..._

_Cold, fading away..._

_Sounds of pounding rain going distant..._

Dorian gasped, as a ghost could gasp, when he looked to see he was outside the apartment. 

"Dorian!" Dayal called, making the ghost man focus on him. "Are you alright?"

"Y-Yes..." He said, cursing himself for stuttering. "That was... Quite an experience."

"Dorian..." He said, tone concerned and warm.

"I'm well! Honest!"

"You're shaking."

"What makes you say that?"

"My arm..." He looked down, making the other do so as well, and sure enough, from where their hands were grasped together in a grip, his arm shook, slightly but there. "What happened?"

Dorian looked behind him, of the open door that leads into the apartment and sees the room inside; no black ominous mist acting as a barrier. "I do believe you've just helped me get past something." He said, remembering the first time laying his eyes on the room.

"Do you want to go back?" He asked, wondering if his ghostly roommate is going to be okay. He noticed that the shaking was lessening, then steady.

"If you don't mind me being, quite literally, over your shoulder, I would like to see this place you work at. See the people." Dorian said, suddenly feeling adventurous as he looked at the elvhen man, but the slight grip let the other know that he doesn't want to part. 

Dayal was still worried, but he smiled as he nodded. "Let's go then." He said as he led the way, his hand still formed as if he's holding the other's hand, feeling the energy that formed there, even when he no longer sees the transparent hand.

Throughout the day, as the elvhen man worked, Dorian was having a moment. Being stuck in a single room for so long gave him a bit of a shock. He got to meet the lovely boss, Josephine, and the mysterious security officer, Leliana. He wondered about the Antivan woman, as she and the elf seemed to get along quite well, a part of him feeling that ever familiar pang of bitterness. That is until the lady mentioned about some man called 'Thom', and asked the elf to send a letter to the man, who works in some bar a few blocks away from the building. 

"Hey!" Chirped the dwarven woman with red hair, freckles, and a wide smile on her face. 

"Hey Dagna. Everything alright?" He asked, smiling as she nodded.

"Better than alright! I got a date!" She said happily, which made Dorian chuckle. "Which leads me to ask you something." She got a bit timid, with a look of hope on her face. 

"I'll cover your shift."

"How did you know I was going to ask? Oh, wait, it was obvious, wasn't it?"

"Tell me when, and let me know if there's anything else I can help with."

"Well, it's Tuesday, and... Should I go with my hair up or down?" She asked, pointing to her hair. "And should I get a gift or is it too soon?"

"First: okay on Tuesday. Hair down with a hair pin, the one with the butterfly. And hold on the gift for now. Unless you're going to an arcade, then you two can give each other gifts from your winnings."

"Oh! That's such a great idea! Thank you! If this first date goes well, then that's definitely going to be the second place to go!" She said happily. "And are you talking about that one butterfly pin that sparkles in the rainbow colors?"

"The very one. She seems to be the kind of person who likes things that sparkle. That, and it makes you cuter than usual." He said, making her laugh.

"Thank you! Now... what to wear..."

"I'll leave that to you." He said, raising his hand up as a way to defend himself. "I don't have the best advice when it comes to fashion." He heard the ghostly man stifle a laugh.

She giggled as she thanked him again and left him be as he answered some calls, speaking in both common and Dalish, and looking over some emails.

Dorian watched with interest as he saw some people come up to him, and even a couple young ladies come up to his desk, only to lose nerve and made it out like they were just passing. 'And he's not aware of any of it.' He thought, quietly pleased by this as a man in a security outfit came up.

"Hey, Dayal?" The man said, gaining the other's attention.

"Afternoon Cullen. It's rare to see you out of the monitor room."

"Yeah, uh... I wanted to ask you if you're free for drinks." The man asked, scratching at the back of his neck, looking nervous. 

"What's the occasion?"

"Nothing, really." Cullen said as his honey brown eyes seemed nervous. "I've... been told that I work too hard, and that I should ease up once and awhile. And... well... I don't know anyone besides you, Leliana and Josephine." He blushed. "And I don't really want to ask them."

"Sure." He said easily with a reassuring smile. "You got a place in mind then? I'm not much of a drinker, but I'm in the mood today." He stole a quick glance at Dorian, who raised a brow.

"Oh, yes... Uh... That one bar that's a few blocks from here."

"Blackwall?"

"Yes, that one."

"I know the place. I even know the owner."

"Oh, good." He said, chuckling nervously. "I'll meet you later then."

"Later." He said as the other man left as he turned back to the computer screen.

"I do believe you were asked out." Dorian pointed out.

"It's just drinks." He said, typing out a report. 

"That's usually how it starts. I should know."

"Not all the time." He said, making the ghost man shake his head.

"He was nervous asking you for drinks. He doesn't want to ask any of the ladies, even though they wouldn't refuse if he asked. He's good looking enough to ask literally anyone! But he asked you! Doesn't that scream 'I'm asking you out on a date' to you?"

"Nope." Dayal said in a matter of fact tone. 

Dorian groaned. "This is so painful to watch. And I'm enough of a masochist to see through this, if only to say 'I told you so' when it finally hits."

"You do that." He said as he continued to type up his report.

When it came to him clocking out, Dayal, along with Dorian, met up with Cullen and they made their way to the bar, making small talk along the way.

Once seated at the bar, the owner, Thom, welcomed the elf by name and fixed their drinks.

"Slow day today?" Dayal asked, taking a sip of the ale the man had picked out for him.

"You're just early." Thom said with an amused chuckle.

"Oh, Josephine wanted to give you this." He said as he handed the envelope. 

"Thank you." He said as he took the envelope, his smile nearly obscured from his beard, but he seemed happy from what he read.

"How long has been going on?" Dorian asked.

"It's been a few months." Dayal said, answering the ghost man's question while making it sound like a opening of a talk. "Are you going to ask her out or...?"

"I... well... She's a lady of refinement. I would just bore her."

"Not according to the amount of times she asked me about you and the letters I keep delivering back and forth." He pointed out. "Plus, she already knows what has happened to you."

"She... She does?"

"Leliana." Both elf and Cullen said in unison.

"Ah... Her... School friend? Right?" He said, the elf nodded in confirmation while Cullen looked as though he learned a new fact and that seemed to click in his mind in a 'it makes so much sense now'. "I'll... think about it."

Dayal gave the man an apologetic grin as the man left to attend to the other patrons.

"That's the man that your boss fancies?" Dorian asked as Cullen looked to the elf.

"That's the man Josephine keeps talking about?"

"So glad I'm not alone in this." Dorian said as Dayal nodded.

"I don't know all the details, but when I started working, it was a new thing between them: she sends me out to deliver him notes, when she could've texted him, and I would come in to find flowers sent up to her office. Or a carving of some sort." He said with a grin. "It's sweet, but I don't know if they're going to pursue it seriously or if they like it this way."

"It seems a bit ridiculous." Cullen said.

"Second that!" Dorian said.

"To you and I, but it makes them happy, so who am I to judge?"

"I suppose..." Cullen said while Dorian groaned.

"Something the matter?" The elf asked.

Cullen sighed as he looked around. "I've... I just wanted to see if I'm able to do this." He said as he looked at the other, who seemed patient. "It's... been sometime since I know how to relax. But all I seemed to do now is make myself stress out. Only when I'm working do I stop feeling that way." He sighed heavily once more. "I'm sorry. I asked you for drinks and I'm being a mess."

"No need to apologize." He said. "I figured you didn't want to be alone about halfway here." He said.

"That's one reason. But also..." He paused to take a sip of his drink. "I've... I've been seeing a therapist. And... well, he suggested I try to improve my social skills. 'Just ask them on a light activity and go from there'." He shook his head. "Easier said than done. But when he said that, you came to mind." He looked to the elf, reading his expression, which was open curiosity. "Sorry if that sounds odd. But I see you on the monitors, people always seem to talk to you, and I hear people talking about you."

"They do?" He asked, honestly surprised by this, making Dorian roll his eyes upward and shake his head slightly. But this made the other man chuckle, looking slightly eased.

"You're quite popular. You'd be surprised how many of the ladies try to encourage each other to talk to you."

"Why would they need encouraging to talk to me?"

"I would say it's anyone's guess. But from what you saw today, I wasn't sure if you would agree to this." He mentioned to the drinks. "But when you did, I was worried if I would say something that would make you uncomfortable, or well... give you the wrong idea."

"The wrong idea?"

"Oh for fuck sake!" Dorian cried.

"I... Like I said, I'm trying to get better at my social skills and relaxing. And, well, you seem like a good person to talk to, and you appear to have this laid-back aura that's... comforting." He then groaned. "And I did it again."

"Honestly, I gathered what you're saying until you mentioned 'wrong idea' and what you just said just now."

Cullen's blush traveled down his neck as he took another gulp of his drink. Once he swallowed, he spoke "This isn't a date." He finalized, making Dorian groan.

"Maker's flaming public hairs!" 

Dayal lightly chuckled. "I know that."

"Y-You did?"

"If this was a date, you would've said so. Otherwise, I would take it as a get together after a long day's work."

Cullen seemed baffled before chuckling, sounding relieved. "Maker's breath! I worked myself up for no reason."

Dayal smiled as he let the man gather his wits as he took a sip of his drink. "This is kinda nice."

"I agree." He said as he looked at his mug. "When I was growing up, my father and his friends would gather around in the local tavern and they would toast for whatever reason that seems fitting to be celebrated. This feels like something worth a toasting, but what?"

The elf chuckled as he lifted his mug. "To the beginning of friendship and well being?" This earned a chuckle as the other man clinked his mug.

"I'll drink to that!" And with that, both men took a large gulp and the next hour was them talking and Dorian watching in amusement before parting ways.

"Well, that was something." The ghostly man said as they entered the apartment, taking a moment to see that the black mist was really gone and entered through the doorway with no sudden panic attacks.

"I thought it was a lot of fun."

"Of course you did." He said as he went over to the couch and sat down.

"Come on now, it's okay to admit you're wrong." He said as he was behind the couch, resting his arms on the headboard of the couch and looking down at his ghostly companion. "And more so that you enjoyed it."

Dorian huffed. "I will admit to no such thing! It's a matter of pride!"

"Which has been slightly bruised." He pointed out as he smiled while the other pouted before looking solemn. "Dorian?"

"Thank you." He said. "That... that has been the most fun I've had in a long time."

He blushed slightly as he moved a bit behind the ghost man and, as best as he could, hugged the man, some of his limbs going through the shoulders. "I'm glad it worked out at all. I was afraid for a moment."

"Afraid?" He asked, a bit surprised by the hug, which wasn't much since the limps go through, but the sentiment was touching enough that he ignored that. But now the confession was giving a sense of warmth, and wondered if the other man could feel it.

"When we went through the door, you looked as if you were in so much pain. I thought that I had doomed you in a way and..." He sighed. "For a moment, I thought you would disappear for good."

Dorian was surprised by this confession, even more so when he thought he heard a heart beat pounding in his non-existent ears. He would've thought it was the other's, but it was far too loud to be the elf's. "Well, looks like two things worked out today then: me being out and remaining. Marvelous, really." He said, chuckling as the pounding sound was still present, but dimmed to a echo that would not go away. 'Is that normal?' He thought, wondering if it was a ghost thing to hear heart beats when you're dead. "And now you'll be regretting ever taking me out." He laughed as the other chuckled, feeling the warmth from the other's cheek.

"We'll see about that." Dayal said as he straightened from his hugging attempt. "But now I get to show you all the places I keep telling you about. It'll be fun!"

Dorian smiled, looking at how the man glowed. "I look forward to it!" He said, meaning it honestly.

Soon, Dayal has another day off, and both he and Dorian were out and about in town, going to places that he often told to his ghostly roommate, but now can show him.

"Okay, that thrift shop is indeed nice." Dorian said, sounding as though he relents his original speculation. "I have stand corrected."

"Told you." He said, sounding a bit pleased with the victory as they headed down an alley that has all the tucked away shops. 

"This is the place you keep telling me about?" Dorian said, looking in awe of the shops that were often overlooked due to their location and how ominous it looked with the taller buildings casting shadows.

"That's right." He said as Dorian gasped at one wine shop.

"Fasta vass. If I had known about this place while I was alive, I would work here instead!"

"Or get kicked out for drinking."

"I do have self control, I have you know." Dorian said with a deadpanned expression as the elf entered the shop, making him follow.

"Hello!" Chirped a woman behind the counter. "Welcome! Are you here for a tasting? Or is there a kind of wine you're looking for?"

Dayal took out his I.D. to show to the woman. "A small tasting."

"Of course!" The woman, Flissa, said as she looked and confirmed that he was old enough to drink and handed him a small list of the wines available for tasting. "You can choose any to taste. We're also promoting of getting three bottles and the fourth is free."

"Thank you." He said as she left to attend to another person that went through the door. "So?" He whispered as Dorian looked over the list.

"You're an evil little imp, but you should start with a white." Dorian said as he pointed to one of the white wines on the list. "I recall having this back home. A bit dry with a slight sweet aftertaste. Definitely something you would enjoy. And it's very light so you won't be staggering out of here. And avoid this one," he pointed to one of the reds, "it's dry and bitter and that year was their worst season for harvest."

Dayal nodded as he told Flissa the five wines he was going to taste test, and left the shop with four wines.

"I'm actually surprised you actually got the wines."

"Well, you never know when I'm going to get company. And I have talked to Evie and she seems to be hinting that she and Bull will be visiting sometime soon."

"That is true." Dorian said as he looked at the shops, when one caught his eye. "An antique shop! I've been looking for one for months when I got that room!"

Dayal looked at the shop, blinking in surprise. "Huh... I never noticed this shop being here." He said as he made his way to the door, which has an 'open' sign up. "Maybe there's something we can add to our place." He said.

The place nearly felt claustrophobic with how much was packed in such a small space, when a young lady of fourteen looked up from dusting an old grandfather clock, looking a bit spooked from the elf's arrival. "O-Oh! H-Hello." She said as she looked back, as if expecting someone else to deal with the visitor. "W-Welcome to 'Forgotten Treasures'." She said, a blush came up on her fair cheeks with lots of freckles dotting her face. Her pale hair was in pig tail braids. "I-I'm Bunny."

"Hello, I'm Dayal." He said kindly, seeing the young lady was nervous. "I just noticed your shop and wanted a look."

"O-Okay... I-If you have questions, my b-brother can t-tell you more about it."

"Alright." He said as she went back to dusting while he wandered to the other side, giving the girl space.

"This is amazing." Dorian said, looking at a wooden toy carving of a duck, with only a wheel missing. "I remember having something like this when I was younger. I think it was at one of my elder family members. I get scolded for playing, but I would get bored so easily and it was far too tempting to not roll one of these around." He chuckled as the memory both amused and saddened him. "Then when they passed, all of it were sold off to collectors. I wasn't able to keep one, I was much too old at that time, but I held my tongue to get the duck one. This actually looks like the one I played with a lot." He looked at said wooden duck in question.

"It is." Said a soft voice, making both ghost and elf jump and looked back to see the young man of nearly twenties, pale blond hair that was tied back in a small pony tail, tall and lanky build. "Oh, sorry." He said. "It's what my spirit companion said." He then looked a bit nervous.

"You're a mage?" Dayal asked as the young man nodded. "I have friends who are mages." He informed, which made the young man sigh in relief. "You run this shop then?"

"Yes. Well, it was my grandfather's, but I took over when he died a year ago."

"I'm sorry." 

The young man shook his head. "Don't be. I'm Cole." He said as he held out a bony hand for the elf to shake. "If you have questions, I and Compassion can tell you all about it."

"Is that the name of your spirit companion then?"

"Yes. They came to me when I manifested at ten."

"Not too uncommon." Dorian said, nearly shocked when Cole looked his way. "You can see me?"

"Kind of." Cole said, making the two men look surprised. "It's one of the abilities I have, and Compassion helps amplifies it." He then looked confused. "Compassion tells me that you think you're dead, but you're not."

This confused both of them.

"I don't know why either." Cole admitted. "Compassion says you're in-between for a long time, but you didn't know." He then blinked. "Huh... They don't want to say anymore..."

"Is that normal?" Dayal asked.

"Sometimes. It's a bit frustrating, but they mean well. Sometimes they do that to find people to come to the shop, to help them find items that can help them remember a time that made them happy. Like this wooden duck." He picked up the worn duck toy. "I can hold this for you while you look some more. To be honest, Compassion was really adamant about not selling this until its true owner comes in. And here you are."

Dorian was truly at a loss for words as Dayal nodded. "Looks like a good addition to our place." He said, making the ghost man hear that heart beat again in his ears.

"You have a nice energy." Cole said, smiling. "It's almost similar to Compassion, but there's Love mixed in as well."

"I guess I'm lucky to have such good energy then." Dayal said as Cole nodded and headed to the sells counter to prepare the duck to be sold. He and Dorian looked around some more, Bunny coming up once again to explain the item in question, being a little more comfortable and open.

Soon, they left the shop with the wooden duck, as well as an old lamp, a ceramic bowl, and a chipped painted wooden box.

"I didn't expect that." Dorian said, still in awe from the shop.

"Same, but I'm glad you found that shop." Dayal said as they made their way back to their apartment. "We definitely should go back there soon."

Dorian didn't answer, his thoughts going back to what the young man said about him not being dead.

"Dorian?"

"Hm? Sorry, what were you saying?"

"I asked if you were okay."

"Ah..." 

"Is this what Cole, or his companion, said about you?"

"Yes... It doesn't make sense..." Dorian said, not sure what it means. 

Dayal doesn't like seeing the man looking so conflicted, and wondered, not for the first time, if he should look up the man: where he was born, if there was a place he was buried; just wanting to know the man before he became a ghost. But after their trip to the antique shop, he was beginning to wonder too if the man really was dead, or was experiencing an out of body experience; a very extended one at that. 'But wouldn't they have to be near their body for that?' He thought as they reached to the apartment, in which Dorian used a good amount of energy to unlock and open the door for him, and he set down the purchases at the small dining table, except for the lamp, which was immediately placed by the night stand near the bed, replacing the lamp there and moved to the small stand near the door.

"Not bad." Dorian said, looking at the slight improvement. "I thought it would be tacky, but it actually fits."

"Wasn't there a phrase? 'Something old, something new'?" Dayal asked, making the ghost man laugh.

"For weddings, but this works too." He said, suddenly feeling warm, the sound of heart beating in his ears being slightly louder when he looked at the elf. 'Maybe... it's possible... If what that man's spirit said about me...'

"Dorian?" Dayal asked when he noticed the other looking at him, as if discovering something and trying to process it.

"Ah, sorry, my thoughts went away for a moment." He said, realizing he had been staring while thinking about the new information. 

"Are you alright?" He asked, worried about him as he went up to him, standing a foot away from where the other stood. "Do... do you want to look yourself up? Go to a hospital?"

"No." Dorian said a bit sharply before he shook his head. "Sorry..." He apologized softly. "I... I don't think I'm ready to know... not yet."

Dayal nodded, understandingly. "Okay." He said with a smile. "When you are, I want to be there for you."

Dorian was feeling so many things at that moment, and could only muster a smile when he wanted to do so much more. "Thank you." He said as the rest of the evening was peaceful, then the elvhen man was fully asleep.

He joined him in bed and watched the other sleep, his mind still reeling what he had learned, and thinking back to everything up to that point, and a realization that was always there, but didn't want to voice it.

The next morning, Dorian told Dayal he was going to stay home, which made the elf confused, but accepted it and left, giving the ghost man a moment to decide what to do. He waited at least half an hour before he went to the window, seeing no black mist there, open and went out on the fire escape, closed the window, and went down the steps, which gave him pause. 

'For being a ghost, shouldn't I know how to glide or whatever ghosts do?' He realized that he never did glide or hover in place; as if he was still feeling the effects of gravity. He continued down until he was at a safe jumping distance. He got onto the railing and jumped, only to feel gravity pull him down and, though not feeling the effects of landing, a part of him told him he shouldn't attempt that in an unsafe height. 

He headed out of the alley and out onto the street, remembering his steps to where he would go 'to work'. He came across another alley and went in deeper, remembering many a night coming down this path to meet clients. When he reached the end, all that greeted him was caution tape and the path down to under the building having a notice. "So they've been found out and went out of business." He said, turning and had a moment of clarity back to that rainy night.

_He left; put in his note that he won't be working anymore, and was glad that he never gave them his address. The apartment was his, and his alone. Many a client asked if they would go to him, but he stood his ground that his place was off limits, otherwise he will tell. He had enough blackmail material to keep the clients at bay, which made him unpopular with those running the business, but thankfully he has the looks that kept him around. But now, he was free from that, swearing he didn't know anything his clients told him, and he just wanted to get on with his life. The work he found wasn't something he wanted, but it was honest, clean, and the people were at least willing to give him a chance._

_He walked out towards the end of the alley to head to the street, thinking about the new route he was going to take to make sure his haven was never found, only to be confronted by a figure, holding a knife. He tried to do magic, to protect him, but felt the sense of his magic being countered by a dispel, then the sudden, painful thud of the knife into his chest. He blacked out for only a moment, but he woke up and saw that he was bleeding._

Thinking back on that, he supposed it was planned from the start, to keep him quiet. He knew too much for them to be comfortable of his leaving. He looked at the wall that he bled on and remembered his thoughts that moment.

_He probably should've been panicking, cursing the Maker, or something other than chuckling, making him cough up blood._

_"At least throw me in a ditch if you want me to die in a place proper." He recalled saying, just before darkness took hold of him once more._

He left that alley, hearing the heart beat loud in his ears.

"Hope didn't give up." 

He jumped as he looked to see Cole, only... different. "You're... not Cole..."

"No, I figured his form would make it easier to talk to. You would be scared otherwise." Compassion said, moving the large, floppy hat a bit to look at the man. 

"You mentioned something about not giving up?"

"Yes. Hope. A spirit that was there for you. They weren't that strong, but that night, they didn't want you to die."

Dorian shook his head. "What? Why? And where are they now?"

"Hope and I talked time to time, but that night, was the last time they existed as they were."

"What do you mean? Wait... were you... and then Cole?"

"It was hard for him to describe to the authorities. But you were taken away. Hope held on for so long. They saw more to you than you did, and didn't want you to leave. Not like that. Then they were gone, and you were in your haven. Safe. Yours. You wouldn't let anyone else go near it, fearing they would try to harm you as everyone else did. It was just an empty space, but you filled it with purpose. But that purpose turned and trapped you in instead."

"So... that was a work of a spirit? This whole time?"

"Not a spirit, but a wisp. Hundreds. All created from pains similar to yours, but never manifested to an actual spirit or demon. You are very lucky."

"I... suppose so." He said as he looked at the corner that was his last memory of being physical. "So... what am I exactly? If I'm not dead, but I'm here. If I'm alive, why am I like this?"

"Don't you remember?" Compassion asked. "You said it yourself. Not in the exact words, but the meaning behind it."

"About being thrown in a ditch? To die there?"

"Yes. You gave up on life. You had a chance to start anew, but they tried to take it. You wouldn't die from it, but you didn't try to fight. Hope felt that and acted. If they didn't, the demons would've done something horrible."

"I don't think I want to know."

"You don't."

Dorian was starting to understand what has happened, but not what to do about the information. "Well, at least now I know why I'm the way I am. So, thank you for filling in the missing pieces." He said as he looked up at the sky, seeing it darkening. "Dayal will be home soon. I better get back. I don't want him to think I up and left him."

"You can wake up now. If you want." Compassion said, making the ghost man look at him oddly. "You've found a reason to go forward. It will be disorienting, but you'll find your way back to your haven. And you won't be alone."

"What do you mean by 'wake up'? What? I'm some kind of sleeping beauty in some tower in form of a hospital?" He said in jest, as well as slight annoyance.

"Yes."

This gave Dorian pause as he looked at Compassion, questions running through his mind. "Then... I am alive?"

"You weren't, for a long time. But you're beginning to become more when you allowed him in." He looked up slightly, the pale, almost filmed over light-grey blue eyes giving the humanoid spirit an almost eerie look. "You have to tell him. You know the words."

Dorian took a few steps back, as if the other has hit him. "W-What?"

"What you feel is real. He won't know if you don't tell him. He's told you that before."

"Well, yes..." He said, hearing the heart beating even louder and, pitifully tried to cover his ears, only to continue hearing it.

"That's your heart." Compassion said, suddenly standing in front of the ghost man. "If you want to die, you have to break it, and you'll be gone. Probably at the mercy of the demons that await you in the Fade. Live, and you can come back and live with him. That's what you really wanted. Ever since you left." And with that, he disappeared, leaving Dorian there, conflicted with a choice he doesn't know the end result would truly come out.

"Shit, it's really getting late." Called out one man to another as they walked out of the building.

"Sun's still up."

"But not fer long!"

Dorian looked at the sky once more and started to run, the sounds of the heart beating; his heart beating, pounding loudly as he found the building, looked at the balcony, and suddenly felt light.

And soon found himself on said balcony, decorated with a few potted plants and the door was opened to keep the room cool with the oncoming of the summer's peak season. He wasn't sure just 'how' he was able to do that, but that thought was pushed aside when he heard a sound. A sound he was accustomed to with himself. 

He entered the room through the open, sliding glass door and the billowing curtains to see the elvhen man, on the couch, sobbing. He felt a twinge of guilt at the sight and went up to the man. "Dayal." He said, loud enough for the other to hear, who looked up, eyes stained with spent tears and started to puff.

"Dor-" He started to say when he got up. "Damnit! Don't do that! I've been here for an hour waiting for you to appear! I thought you were gone!"

"I... headed out on my own. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to take so long getting back." He said, meaning it as the pounding seemed to make his ghostly form shake from its echo as warmth was filling him. 

Dayal slightly pouted, still a bit drained from his emotional panic. "You could've left a note, just in case." He said, sounding hurt as he wiped his face. "Where did you go then?"

Dorian barely heard the question when he went up and embraced the other, slightly smaller, man, making him stand there in confusion. "I truly am sorry. I... I wanted to find out on my own. Make sense to why I'm here."

"Did you?" He asked, feeling slightly nervous but curious.

"I did." He said as he leaned back to look at the other, a gentleness and affection were there as he looked at the elvhen man, even sensing the pounding heart of the other.

"Dorian?"

"You told me once, that you wouldn't know if someone has any kind of affection unless they told you."

"In a way." He said, sounding confused while feeling afraid of what this means, when a ghostly hand cupped his face.

"It may sound forward of me, considering its only been a few months since you moved in, but I can't deny it." He leaned down and, using enough energy to be physical enough for both to feel when his lips kissed the other's, hearing the slight gasp, but the kiss was returned. 

When they parted, Dayal felt his heart pound and his mind in a swirl of so many emotions. He opened his eyes, a question nearly escaped his being, only to be silenced when the man slightly glowed and fading. "Dorian! What-?" He looked at the man, wanting answers, as well as a rising fear swelling up.

"Wait for me... Amatus." Dorian said, the last word was filled with so much affection and feeling that it shattered the other man's heart when he reached out, before fading away completely from sight.

Dayal stood there in shock as the room suddenly felt empty. For a moment, he didn't want to believe what he had witnessed, but, as fresh tears fell from his face and his heart pounded in a painful beat, he fell to the floor and cried.

"Come back... Come back..." He whined pitifully, as he didn't leave the spot. "Please..."


End file.
